Tribal Thailand

We woke on the train at around 7AM to find it had been delayed by a couple of hours so after a few beers, cards and amusing conversation late into the night before we promptly went back to bed until we arrived at Chaing Mai station!!!

We made our way to our accommodation in central Chaing Mai and decided to head out for a mooch around the city. It seems a nice city, quite large however not as busy or tourist focused as Bangkok which is both a good and bad thing. As it was my birthday George said he would treat me to a Thai Massage which after a night of little sleep was proper bo! Really relaxing but mine was rough, would have thought George would at least let me have the better (not great.....better) looking one.





That evening we went to the night bazarre and had a look around before grabbing some food and making our way to a bar a little way out of the centre. I wasn't expecting much but the people we were with chipped in and got me some presents, a cake, the band to sing happy birthday for me and most importantly tequila. Let the games begin....the night wore on and got progressively more messy and again ended up a late one. Wasn't expected but it was really nice of everyone, especially as the next day was going to be a long one with or without a hangover!!









We (yet again.....I thought this was a holiday) woke early and drove around 45 minutes out of Chaing Mai to an Elephant Camp where we had the chance to ride Elephants through the forest.



It was wicked. Ours was a proper fatty and ate shed loads of bananas on the way around before we heard a very loud disturbing bowel movement, similar to some of Georges in fact, and he let out a loud, wet, bubbly, some might say tuneful fart!! Well funny. We got to sit on the back of the elephants neck and it just kept putting it's trunk back above his head for bananas which was a bit weird, if we had run out it just sniffed around you looking for some more.





From here the hard work would start. We met up with our guides Mr Ken (a very funny Thai guy from Chaing Mai who spoke good English to explain about the trek), Superman (a 50 odd year old guy from the Tribe we were visiting who was a very cool, at peace man we have ever met) and Superboy (a younger guy also from the tribe who couldn't speak much English but was very funny and had loads of tricks and skills).









We got ready and set off trekking up very steep hills for around 3-3.5 hours stopping intermittently for a few reasons.....for Belinda to be sick, really hung over from the night before, to swim in waterfalls and river pools, to have catapult competitions or to just mess about and whatever it was the loser had to have a shot of Rice Whiskey. All good fun except its about 80% proof and walking up a very steep hill, in 35 degree heat with a hangover meant you would regularly burp, burning your throat again and again. Nice stuff though, made in the hills by the tribes!

We eventually arrived at our camp for the night at a bamboo hut perched on top of paddy fields in Mae Wang (middle of nowhere), overlooking a river half way up the hill with amazing views. We dropped our bags and quickly made our way to the river below and all dived in, absolutely sweltering from the trek the water was freezing instantly making the old chestnuts run for cover! That night we chilled around a fire and ate food freshly prepared by the tribesman trekking with us, it was so nice and fresh, mmmm mmmm! Some people from another local tribe joined us around the fire and brought with them some local instruments we tried to play. Flute/horn/pipe type things carved from wood that you blow and cover/uncover the end making a strange noise. None of us were that great but it was good fun trying. As it got later the cards and Rice Whiskey came out with the loser again having to down shots....Mr Ken was hammered but we all had to have a few shots.


As Thailand is so hot this time of year we underestimated when we were told it was quite chilly in the hills at night. We assumed quite chilly was still warm to us so didn't really pack suitable gear. George with only shorts and T-Shirt and me with no sleeping bag, only a really thin sleeping bag liner, we got little to no sleep. It was baltic let me tell you, no one could believe how cold it was the next morning but there was nothing we could do as we were in the middle of nowhere and couldn't go back for more gear. Everyone got up around 7.30 and stood at the fire trying to warm up before packing up and heading off further into the forest to meet the tribes people.

More walking, more whiskey and more games on the way made the journey fly by and we soon came to an opening where Mr Ken pointed to the village on the hillside.







The village is called Baan Khun Puai and is populated by a tribe called the Karen Tribe. Around 90 bamboo huts on stilts the tribe are a farming tribe who used to make money from Opium however the Drug Enforcement Agency looked into other methods for them and they now farm Rice and Soy Beans. We walked into the village which was deserted as everyone was out working on the farms. We sat and relaxed over another freshly prepared lunch before a few kids started appearing and they led us off to the river about 10 minutes away for a swim.


Again, extremely refreshing and funny messing around with the children, even though the language barrier was difficult everyone was having a laugh.

We got back into the village and Mr Ken showed us around, taught us how to make rice, told us about the traditions and cultures of the tribe and how it has developed over the years as they have moved away from more spiritual beliefs and are now more of a Christian tribe. We saw the church, met some locals who were gradually filtering back before coming across a small football pitch which was too tempting for me and George. We had a kick around with a couple of kids before more and more people came out of the woodwork and it ended up with a full blown 11 a-side match, everyone in shoes or trainers except me who was in bare feet!! Me and Gee still showed them how to play proper football (!), wicked fun. Around 7PM we strolled back to our hut and found about 30 children hanging around with bowls and spoons......we were cooking tonight!! We quickly gathered around the fire and chucked on the wok,



we joined forces and with a little help from a couple of locals we banged out some fried rice for the children. While we were cooking they were singing and as soon as it was ready they jumped into line and we served up. Within 2 minutes every child had disappeared but about 45 minutes later they all came back and sat around the fire. The next hour was brilliant, we had to learn a song in the local dialect about elephants to sing with the children before having to 'perform' for them!! We bashed out all the old classics including Old MacDonald, Okey Cokey(!?), Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, 3 Blind Mice and the good old 5 Green Bottles. I don't think we were great as they soon took over and carried on singing local songs for us. They were so much more tuneful and the songs sounded really nice with them all singing together.



After the kids left we got out the Whiskey and cards again, George lost a few games so had a fair few large shots before we tried to sleep. This time we thought it would be better, I put on loads of clothes and hoped for the best. We didn't realise until we got into bed the locals had put some of the cattle under our hut so 1) it smelt a little 2) there was a calf suckling so all we could hear was cowbells rattling and 3) the mum just kept pissing.....loads!!

Another freezing, restless night got disturbed around 4AM by a rooster who had decided to join the cattle under our hut and cock a doddle friggin doo directly below us, about 2 metres away, very loud for the rest of the morning!!!!!!!!!!!

A couple of hours later around 7AM we heard some noises outside the hut so I got up and went out for a look, there was about 10 Karen tribes ladies setting up a mini markets to show off the local produce and scarfs, necklaces, bracelets and bags etc they make. There was lots of really nice items all dirt cheap so everyone bought at least 2 items if not more. Soon after it was time to pack up and head back to meet up with the van about another 3 hours trek away. Just before we left Superman and his wife gave us all a blessing and said a prayer while tieing some cotton around our wrist, a traditional ritual to protect and cleanse your body of evil.





A nice touch just before we left. This time the trek started feeling really long, as it was the 3rd day in a row and 2 days without much sleep and the temperature was hotter than any day before. We got to another pool and waterfall where everybody cooled off before eventually reaching the truck. The whole trekking and hilltribe experience was awesome, the best thing we have done so far in Thailand and possibly the whole trip, however the van was a welcome sight.

We stopped for lunch at a small restaurant and split from our guides, we all gathered together and gave them some money as a thank you for the experience. It was a little sad to see them go but as they say, its not if we see them again its when. Knackered we drove home and I think everyone pretty much conked out!

To celebrate we all headed to the local night bazarre again in Chaing Mai and filled up on some well earned food. Mai decided to get a tray of Bamboo worms, grasshoppers and some smaller insects that I can't remember what they were. Never one to back down we gave them a go and they were much better than expected. They are just really salty and crunchy, the grasshopper had a little bite but we even went in for seconds.







After dinner we decided we had earned a drink so me and George headed off for a few pints, we found a bar and met a couple who we got chatting to and he comes from Low Moor, about 10 minutes from my house. They live in Liverpool at the moment and he is a manager for some female folk singer, 2 of there friends also came and it ended up being a good night before me and George headed for more beer. Probably don't need to say but it was a little messy, I think the trek took it out of us and we were a little worse for wear.

The last few days has been awesome!!